Novel Therapeutic Targets in the Cardiovascular Treatment Landscape
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 March 2026 | Viewed by 2
Special Issue Editors
2. Center for Biomedical Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Interests: therapeutics; drug discovery; CMC
Interests: cardiovascular disease prevention; atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability; heart failure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to represent the world’s leading cause of death and disability, affecting over 523 million people globally and driving healthcare costs; the cost of treating CVDs is projected to exceed USD 1 trillion by 2035. Despite prior successes in lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and thrombosis risk, many patients—particularly those with heart failure, cardiomyopathies, and residual inflammatory or metabolic risk—remain underserved by current therapies.
Simultaneously, a renewed wave of innovation is reshaping the cardiovascular treatment landscape. Advances in genetic insights, biomarker discovery, and therapeutic modalities have enabled the identification of novel targets with the potential to transform disease management. These include emerging mechanisms such as Lp(a), ANGPTL3/4, and APJ receptors, as well as rediscovered targets like PCSK9, CAMKII, PDE9, and S1P receptor modulators. Together, they allow for new advancements to be made in terms of lipid metabolism, inflammation, cardiac remodeling, thrombosis, and myocardial energetics.
This Special Issue aims to focus on translational advances that define next-generation cardiovascular targets and strategies. We welcome the submission of original research, reviews, and perspectives spanning small molecules, biologics, RNA-based therapeutics, novel target validation efforts, and new applications of established therapies of cardiovascular diseases across diverse indications, from atherosclerosis to heart failure and cardiometabolic disease. Contributions that explore biological rationale, pharmacological innovation, or therapeutic differentiation in competitive landscapes are particularly encouraged.
We look forward to receiving your contributions and collectively advancing the future of cardiovascular medicine.
Sincerely,
Dr. Weida Wu
Dr. Nikolaos Kadoglou
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- cardiovascular disease
- novel therapeutic targets
- lipid metabolism
- cardiac fibrosis and remodeling
- inflammation and immune modulation
- Lp(a)
- heart failure
- RNA therapeutics
- precision cardiology
- cardiomyopathy
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